The cricket writer Dicky (DJ) Rutnagur, who has died aged 82, was a valued companion in the press box, from where he covered more than 300 Tests and worked for the Daily Telegraph – and as a freelance for the Times and Guardian – for 40 years. His style, impeccably accurate, was inclined to be old-fashioned, never veering far from the facts or taking literary liberties. As such it met with the approval of the omnipotent EW Swanton, who liked opinion to be left to him.

Dicky was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, and arrived in England in 1966 after a spell as cricket correspondent of the Hindustan Times. From then until 2005, he wrote for the Telegraph, covering squash and badminton as well as cricket.

Dicky's style and journalistic attitudes were influenced by his history-bound affection for the game. He brought an enviable volume of experience to his daily summaries. His sense of humour was seldom out of sight for long. His occasional bursts of cynicism were never touched with malice. He laughed often; he was renowned for the thundering expletive that accompanied, if very rarely, his condemnation for a player's flaw or lack of grace.

In nostalgic mood, when the press box was otherwise empty at the close of play, he would encourage me, equally ancient, to join him unselfconsciously for a gentle crooning duet from our spontaneous repertoire of the 30s and 40s.

Both Dicky's marriages were dissolved. His son, Richard, who was an Oxford cricket blue, survives him.